Over the past couple of months, motherboard vendors from across the industry offered BIOS updates for their motherboards based on Intel B85 Express and H87 Express chipsets, which enable CPU overclocking for Intel's unlocked Core processors denoted by "K" brand extension (Core i7-4770K, i5-4670K). This reportedly hasn't gone down well with Intel. Intel's Bxx and Hxx chipsets are significantly cheaper than its Zxx series chipset. Sensing a clear threat to its revenue, from the prospect of motherboard vendors coming up with high-end or overclocking-ready (strong CPU VRM) motherboards based on cheaper chipsets in the near future, Intel cracked down on them.

Intel is giving final touches to a CPU microcode update that restricts Core "K" Haswell processors from overclocking on chipsets other than Z87 Express. A microcode update can be deployed both through BIOS updates, and surreptitiously through Windows Update. Intel's used the tried and tested "stability" bogey to justify the update. While it's true that motherboards based on B85 and H87 tend to feature weaker CPU VRM, there's nothing to say that ASUS wouldn't have gone on to design its next ROG Maximus on H87 Express, and save on manufacturing costs. While it's purely hypothetical, something like that wouldn't be in Intel's commercial interests. What next? Intel will push this new microcode update on to motherboard vendors, instructing them to issue BIOS updates with it; and future batches of Intel "K" CPUs may not support overclocking. If that isn't enough to contain the problem, Intel may give Microsoft a ring, and ask it to push the update through Windows Update. It tried that once in the past.

Intel already has the best market position in high-end cpu's. In my opinion this move is completely unnecessary if not tyrannic. I think Intel would actually benefit from having cheap overclocking boards, using them to pull more AMD users in.

I really don't see what the big deal is. If you're buying a $249-$349 processor, why buy a $68 POS motherboard to put it in? AMD isn't much better on the AM3 side since the TDP of their CPUs pretty much overwhelms the cheap boards even with just a mild OC, and many of the cheap boards like Biostar's even have BIOS limits that prevent bootup with a >95w CPU or end up throttling like the ASUS M5A97. $100 for a Z87 motherboard should be plenty affordable if the buyer is even remotely considering Intel CPUs.

I didn't really understand it to begin with. They shouldn't have been doing it and Intel shouldn't need to block it with an update. All of this stuff should be locked down in the chipset licensing agreement.

I really don't see what the big deal is. If you're buying a $249-$349 processor, why buy a $68 POS motherboard to put it in? AMD isn't much better on the AM3 side since the TDP of their CPUs pretty much overwhelms the cheap boards even with just a mild OC, and many of the cheap boards like Biostar's even have BIOS limits that prevent bootup with a >95w CPU or end up throttling like the ASUS M5A97. $100 for a Z87 motherboard should be plenty affordable if the buyer is even remotely considering Intel CPUs.

I wouldn't doubt that they overclock fine on the B85/H87 boards due to the low TDP of Haswell chips, but many the boards usually have rather stripped down features anyway such as crappy Realtek audio codecs from 2008, 2 memory slots, etc. Perhaps I just care too much about the integrated features vs. simply running a processor, a GPU, two DDR3 modules and that's it.

I wouldn't doubt that they overclock fine on the B85/H87 boards due to the low TDP of Haswell chips, but many the boards usually have rather stripped down features anyway such as crappy Realtek audio codecs from 2008, 2 memory slots, etc. Perhaps I just care too much about the integrated features vs. simply running a processor, a GPU, two DDR3 modules and that's it.

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When Z68 was launched, most high end LGA1155 motherboards for overclocking were based on P67. Motherboard vendors made variants of their motherboards running Z68 (because it was pin-compatible with P67 and cost the same, while offering FDI and SRT). What's to say that the same motherboard vendors won't launch H87-based variants of their existing high-end LGA1150 motherboards, and save $10-15 on production costs per board, given that H87 and Z87 are pin-identical? That is what Intel fears.

Underhanded move. Hardware does not come with an ToS or EULA like software, Intel retains no similar rights to the hardware once I buy it, if I choose to OC any CPU I buy, it's my right and my risk.

Trying to block this by hindering tools at my disposal, in this case the MB's, just to enhance their sales in a market they almost entierly dominate as it is? Sorry, but this is pure greed.

I may be an AMD power user myself, but as a business, I use just as many Intel chips. This will most definitely impact my future recommendations, away from Intel for cost saving processors where overclocking is concerned.

Intel rules the CPU market, save for one location, the inexpensive performers and overclockers. This is where AMD does indeed have a strong foothold, and a place where Intel could make more money if they really wanted too. Especially when it comes to "general use" and gaming builds.

I left Intel a long time ago once I realized that I can get top notch general, gaming, and overclocked performance out of AMD processors at a lower cost, and this still hold true today. This is now how you win customers, this is how you drive them away.

I didn't really understand it to begin with. They shouldn't have been doing it and Intel shouldn't need to block it with an update. All of this stuff should be locked down in the chipset licensing agreement.

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Maybe they forgot or trying to be cheap like back in the day when AMD started using the INTEL socket AHAHA..